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Thread: Hi all....

  1. #1
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    Thumbs up Hi all....

    Hi all.

    I was one of the last indentured apprentices signed by Furness late '66. To be paid £1089 over four years. Ahh those were the days....

    African Prince (no, not the African Queen ----- cheeky sods) then the Somers Isle; Lancastrian Prince; Albany; Edenmore; Pacific North West; Orcoma all followed in quick succession. Only years later on discovering my indentures (sadly since lost) did I realise that I got my 36 months sea time (the requirement then for second mates) in 39 months. But loved every minute. So do drop a line if you remember bumping into me at that time!

    After that it was a succession of 'outfits' - the 70s was not good for British seafarers (not much better now!) but did eventually end up with a Master's and a job in marine consultancy. Will post more as the memories dribble back to this old fart..... :-)

    Stay safe y'all

    Ken

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    Default Re: Hi all....

    Ken, look forward to your memories being related, but you've a long way to go before you become an old fart, my indentures paid me a total of £312 for 3.5 years service, but despite the slavery conditions we still managed to enjoy ourselves down the WCSA, surprising what favours you could get for a bar of Yardleys soap in those days!!

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    Default Re: Hi all....

    Welcome to the best site going
    Enjoy Ken as we do
    Ron the batcave

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    Default Re: Hi all....

    As Ivan says Ken you make some of us feel really old , you could be considered a youngster by many on site. Welcome to the old reprobates fold. Sure you can make allowances for some of the tall stories which have enlarged over the years. Cheers JS.
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    Default Re: Hi all....

    Quote Originally Posted by Kenneth Crawford View Post
    Hi all.

    I was one of the last indentured apprentices signed by Furness late '66. To be paid £1089 over four years. Ahh those were the days....





    Stay safe y'all

    Ken
    as longs as it is only your memory that is dribbling
    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 31st July 2020 at 10:32 PM.

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    Default Re: Hi all....

    Ahhhh to continue a brief summary of the story so far….

    Very happy to see that I am only a young fart compared to quite a few older farts on this site. That has made my day. My kids will disagree I’m sure, but it makes me feel like a teenager again….. (but I couldn’t eat a whole one…).

    I was due to go on the ‘MAR’ (mid apprenticeship release) after a trip on the Albany. However, the other apprentice decided the life was not for him and quit. Not uncommon in the 60s. So the Captain just decided I could not go. I stayed on the vessel (I was only signed on as a supernumerary as I had indentures with the company) and did another trip. I didn’t mind. It was a good ship with a decent crowd and at the time having fun was a lot more important than my career. (that took a long time to change!!!) 😊 So when I got the 36 months sea time I had not done one day at college.

    I get a letter from Furness after I got the 36 months required sea time, asking me if I would stay with Furness after doing second mates at college. Nope I replied, I would be looking for pastures new. OK they said – we will pay you whatever my final monthly salary was for six months to attend college in South Shileds. (I later found out that you NEVER say ‘nope’. You say ‘SURE’ then they paid more for longer. I didn’t know…)

    That turned out to be too much of an ask – and I was skint when I I arrived at the office of the Shipping Federation in Newcastle looking for a job. At the time getting an ‘uncert third mate’ job was reasonably easy. They told me that Souters had called them that morning looking for someone – and that their office was is Gosforth, just west of Newcastle. After borrowing the bus fare (like I say, I was skint!) I went for an interview with Captain Vernon Charles the very well turned out personnel manager in smart offices and got a job. An advance from Souters got me back to Shields (Not via the BSF in Newcastle. I think I still owe them the 3/9d that I borrowed – just as well they no longer exist). So I was away to join the Cheviot in (I think) Immingham.

    Good grief – memories come flooding back when you start to write stuff down does it not!!

    More later.

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    Default Re: Hi all....

    Yes, memories are good , keep them going on here, all of interested in stories, even after our own time. kt
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    Default Re: Hi all....

    That’s nearly being as poor as Ivan getting his go ashore gear out of the rag bag. JWS.
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    Default Re: Hi all....

    Quote Originally Posted by j.sabourn View Post
    That’s nearly being as poor as Ivan getting his go ashore gear out of the rag bag. JWS.
    Yup, but I never took the dresses, sent them to UCL

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